Rotary motor



Mar 3, 1925. 1 1,52 ,509:

R. w. RHODES ROTARY MOTOR Filed Sept.-l6. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1. h

8mm 2?. w. T? 11 0056,

Mar,- 3.

R. W. RHODES ROTARY MOTOR Filed Sept. 16. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet awumwtoz- Mar. 3. 1925.

1,528,569 R. w. RHODES I ROTARY MOTOR Filed Sept. %6, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 :Man-B, 1925-, 1,528,569

R. w. RHODES RQTARY MOTOR Filed Sept. 16, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

ROBERT WORLEY RHODES, 0E

GREENSBUBG, rnnnsrrvanm.

ROTARY MOTOR.

Avnme ia fin S te b r To all wlzomit may concern:

Be it known that I, omsar \VORLEY Rnonns, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Greensburg, in the county estnioreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful In provements in Rotary Motors, of which the following a specification.

This invention relates to rotary motors of theclass of those where the prime driving elements are actuated by the motive fluid pressure.

One of the objects has been to so design the parts of a rotary engine or motor of this class that its parts shall be simple in con.- struction and adapted to be compactly arranged and, as an entirety, light and readily portable.

My improved enginelnay be regarded as having a cylinder and two p51 ne rotary driven elements which initially respond to the action of the motive agent, and each of which is adapted to act as an abutment for the other while the latter {is functioning as a piston, both being concentrically rotatable in the same circular paths.

Each priine driving element includes a driver or plurality of dr iyers against .which is initially exerted the pressure of .a motive agent. And these drivers of both elements are parts which travel in the. same circular paths around the axis of the inotor.

Preferably, the two driving elements are so related :to each other and to the other parts .01. *the .engine that they rotate intermittently, and alternately,;in the same direction. There being more than ,one driver included in the dnivingye'le nent, they are arrai iged so that the dllVGIfiSl'OfiIliG.Glltlre engine can :be regarded as :being-in two sets of pairs, the drivers of onesetalternating, pm-ipherally, with the drivers of theoth'er set, andeach driver being adapted to serve as an abutment, that is, receive the re ctionary effort oil, a the motive agent lyivhile the driversot the other set are advancing.

Tlhese drive-rs are mimiay ifOTlllQd of radially arranged blades or plates, 5 those of the set included in onezdriving element alternating, as aforesaid, with ithe ,drivin g l il-a'desv oi". the :set I included in the other releinent. In. operation, each blade is brought to a position close to that of la :hladc in the a other set and 1 is; immediately thereafter positioned so as'to be closet-o anothert-hlade "or the-YSecoIrdset.

e. psaa 2 1- The two prime driving elements, each including one or more drivers. are connected to a third, a driven, rotary element by suitable power transmitting devices which are so constructed and arranged that a continuous rotary movement is imparted to the driven element. i 4 i i In the drawings I have shown one of the numerous forms of mechanism which can be constructed to embody my in'iprovelncnts. In order that the essential principles of it 'lnay be readilyunderstood I will describe,

somewhat in detail, the features ct st-rue ture and mode of operation of the specific parts which have been selected torillus- .t ration; it'heing understood, however, that in many respects there can be modification without departure from its essential features.

r Fig. l is a bottom plan view of a rotary motor embodying my improvements.

.Fig. 2 is an end view or the same.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the plane of the axis.

ig. 4 is a section taken on a plane of the line .4, 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on a plane of '5, 5 of Fig. 3. I

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on 6,601? Fig. 3.

V Fig. "7 is a section on the line Fig. '8.

'Fig. 8 is :Fig.

"Fig. '9 .is Fig. 3.

tF-ig. 10 is Fig. '11 is a Fig.

Fig. 12 is a detail longitudinal section the central shaftotzthe'motor, and

Fig 113 is a perspective view olone of the waives and bushings.

As -shown, therelirs an :outer relatively stationary casing or .shell-Ylike part1 indicated as a whole 450. 'In order to provide for the positioningxand supporting o t-the parts to be described, this casing or shell. is formed with theitwo nain elements 41,492, each so shaped that suitable chambers, ports and passages can he tormedtherein. At the end ofQthe part 41 there is a transversely narrowed element e1? of the casing, the netal of which is disposed in such, way as to, pro- ..vide': iorrthe; forming of ,v dfe chambers to the line the line l, r of a section on the line 8 of a section; on the line I 9 of a sectionon the line ,10. 10

section on the line ll, 11

control the inlet and exhaust of the motive agent.

The main driving elements are respec tively indicated as entireties by 10 and 43. The element 10 is a shaft-like device mounted at the center, axially, of the engine, and comprises a relatively elongated part 10 with a cylindrical enlargen'ient at 10*. At one end the shaft is supported in the concentric tubular bearing 48, and at the other end its reduced extremity 10 is fitted in the driven rotary element eta, as will be described.

The second main driving element 43 comprises the sleeve 43, the radially positioned plate 43 the opposed radial plate 457, the connecting peripheral ring 48, fastened by screws 49, and the short sleeve 46. The drivers of one set are secured to or formed with the peripheral part 48, as will be described.

The driven rotary element 44 is mounted in a cap-like part 50 having the reduced central sleeve 51 and a radially extended plate 52, the latter formed with a threaded flange engaging with a thread at 53 at the end of the main casing l0. The reduced end 10 of the central driving element 10 is journaled in a bearing recess at 5a in the driven element t l. To the second shouldered section 1O of the part 10 is fitted a gear plate 55.

At the opposite end of the shaft a stop device in the form of a ratchet wheel 9 is secured on 10. The second or outer main driving element 48 is also provided with a ratchet wheel 12, secured to its tubular part 4-3. It will be seen that the two driving elements which have been described, namely, the central shaft-like part 10 and the surrounding hollow part t3, can have rotary movement imparted to them independent of each other. And to so move them, I provide each with a set of the drivers above referred to, so positioned that a motive agent can be caused to bear against their faces with re sulting step by step movements of the driving elements as an entirety. 27, 27 indicate driving blades carried by the outer element 48; and 28, 28 indicate the driving blades carried by the driving element 10. The latter blades 28, 28 are shown as being integral with the enlarged part 10* of the shaft. The metal at l0 can, initially, be a large cylinder and sections can be removed by machining until the central core part 10 is formed and the integral radially extending driver blades 28.

The blades 27 are prefer; bly made to have the cross sect-ion shown, the outer or base partbeing somewhat flared, and the ring 48 having flared slots into which the bases of the blades can be tightly fitted. The width dimension'of each blade'2? is such, that its inner edge is fitted steamtight to the periphery of the cylindrical part 10 of the inner driving element. The blades 28 of the central element 10 alternate with the blades 27 peripherally; and their outer edges are positioned in steamtight relationship to the inner concave surface of the ring 48.

It will be seen that if the driving blades 27, 28 of the two sets are relatively positioned as shown in Fig. 6, that is so positioned that they constitute a series of pairs, the blades 27, and, with them, the other parts of the outer driving element can move clockwise until they respectively come to the blades 28; and also seen that, thereafter, the driving blades 28 (and the central main driving element which carries them) can advance clockwise for a similardistance and in the same direction with a step movement. The pressure-receiving face of each driver blade is cut away, as shown at 27' and 28*, to provide pressure-receiving chambers 28.

I cause the driving elements to thus move alternately, and advance step by step in the same direction by introducing at proper times a fluid motive agent and providing suitable mechanism for letting it in and cutting it off, as will be described.

I lock against retrogression each of the prime driving elements after it has advanced a step. This is accomplished by the above mentioned ratchet wheels 9 and 12 and the companion pawls 8 and 13. The pawl 8 is normally positioned approximately in the horizontal transverse planes of the ratchet wheel 9. And the pawl 13 is similarly positioned in relation to the ratchet wheel 12. For these pawls, respectively, pockets or tubular chambers 8 and 13 are formed in the casing casting. They extend laterally in opposite directions. Each is provided with a pivot as at 8", 13 for supporting a pawl, and the chambers are closed by threaded caps 8, 13 Each ratchet wheel is provided with six teeth as at 9, 9 etc, for a purpose to be explained.

The inner and the outer driving rotary elements advancing step by step around the axis (clockwise when viewed as in Figs. 6 and 11) transmit continuous rotary motion to the driven element 44 by the following devices. The gear wheel above mentioned as being secured to the shouldered part 10 of the inner rotary element 10 meshes with each of four segmental pinions, 56, 57 58, 59. Each of these is loosely mounted on a shouldered stud shaft 60, and the four stud shafts are rigidly secured in a flange 61 formed with or secured to the rotary elcment 44. Each segmental pinion 56, 57, etc., is integral with a toothed wheel segment of longer radius than that of its pinion, the segments being respectively designated by 56 57 58 59. The stud shafts 60 on which these segments 56 57?. etc, are mounted are so positioned relatively to the main itigate at p ttii=tteiget mag m nt is tang n to the p e wi ie i fm ar v ly larg n rna v mo he vWheel, 5%

'This wheel 63 is secured to or has its teeth YVhe-n the internal Vancing af step-aspart of the hollow element L8,; it causes {the geai *-,-segl nents tp simultaneously BQCk; on thei v axes and atr the same time, bodily advan e step around the main ax -z A the adva ce ot'eth ehafi 6O causes a corresponding advance of, the driven clement lhflhe larger segn'rents 56?, 57 .;et;c., are turned into; positions opposite t thi ow in F g- A, ur ng. chwwt-a. ,A i h sitim th ve tra w ee 51. 3 locked by the dog 8 against backward rotation. hm

I Whe t e t hel qiv-p lt t h e ea h theiend of a,n oveniia hstey, the parts are r lated ith it e pres ure ag nt. was the inner elen'ientlq to advance a stlep theputer elem b ng .11 al etl by h gi 13,- W ile the ee tBT h U 9'fl 1 iWE9l are advancing through-e thia Step; mevem nt er mp 't w ter atte a chi the double seginentacaus 2g 1t i a to relatively rock again into the position shown The driven; element {L4 is thus maintained in continuous rotation bythe alternating inovelnents ot the parts 1Qandt8 11W, LUV;

7 land 14 are piston-like valves respectively positioned in chambers {T and 1ft termed. in thenieta-l 41?.at\ tl1e.,end;,ofthe casing- 4me They are respectively fitted in bushing tubes 7}? and l l yxvhich are tightly seatcdti n Sfildfilldlllbfl. The piston a alye 7 hears. againet the stop, dog 8 and the valve l4:againstfihedogat 1?). 1' {I A:

The bushing tu he Z has a series otgrooves foamed in its periphery 7, If, 7%, T, 7K; Apertures 7 extend tllfltough the vn i et'al ot the tube fl'Olll; the bottom of each groove to its interior surface. H H J 4 The valve 7 is fOllHGClQS-Lit-h ttvo grooves 7, 17% in its peripheral surface ofa idth, axia1l v,, sufiicient to have each groove register with the apertures 7 tx vo adjacent grooves such as at, 13,11, in the periphei'yot the bushing I. The valvencan;be inoved o that each of its grooves will at one time con;

necttwo of the )RQI J herahgrooves of the bushing, and at another time v a differentejregistcring connection 0f gr0qves.,,

, The :valve ot the bushing tube L tKis'P vided with si nila r, per pheral grooves 146, 14 .12 3, 114:.v 1 R, extending ,i' tronr the, groove tothe iRtQIlOIHSUlEIEQCBQf thegbushing .tAnd the valve ltis hke valve 7, forn1ed I am s a .e

1eperiphery thereof. Wh chco with two \vide peripheral 'roove's H9, l g

phere are formed in the with of the c iphery, o i the front time grooved ptaa'ay's in" the a et? u hi fiend 44, tw if h i f ways being in eaclrvalve, to permit themhaust v, ofthe air ,froin the cylinder part 48 The patvl or stop dog- 8, at its end, has'a lug Stproj epting in such Way as .to he adapted,t0 engagewith the teeth 9?, 9", etc, of thfe ratchet heeIsQ; ma aise has. a hig above it, in'dicated by 8 and which bears against the end of the piston valve I The teeth 9% 9", etc, of the ratchet \vheel 9.= a 1 e formed so that their ,peripheral sui'- fac-es have a vpeculiar action in, relation to the valve 7,. The radial face en age of each tooth is indi cated by 9*? the opposite edge of the tee thy he ow Pa y. d the rootspace v by 9 I The croivn pal-e91 is elongated somewhat -periphera lly and ed when engagingg.,With the dog or h g8 of pawl t .hold it up for a iappreciiible time 'llle root sliace 9? soinetvhat elongated and perniits tlie wh'eel .to inove a few degrees hetore the fpaivlor dog' is ej 'igaglc by the curved space 9 10f the tooth, the hiii; Sfmrthe dog during this ishor't period, ridingn the crown part 9,,of the wheel. 7' v 'l he pawl l3 is forined to have its details correspond to those just described for the pawl 8,. that. is has a pawl Mg 13 and an outer lug 13?, the who 12 ha teeth forinec leach vith an elongated crown face 12*, root spacelQf, a ratchet edge or face 125, and, a curved face 12.;

. At QZ there. s a passage W1 a t sl eeve 4 3 tand 6.5, 66 are 5111111211. ducts leadign from thevalte chainher 14 to the perotatable eleeve 4:35, but ternii natin g at points Jne arer the inner end of the sleeve than do the ducts 63 and 68, 69 70 and 71 are annhlargro'ove s in the periphery ofthe rotatable sle' eve, 43 ,At one ,point in each of the grooves 68, 69, etc an aperture is forined vextending; from the base .of the groove through the inetal of the sleeve 4 8 sho tvnat 72,

73, etc. These apertures are arranged to coincide Withthe radial apertures 76 77%, etc-., respectively, illitll. central shaft or driving eleni'e'nt '10, the latter apertures connecting with the longitudinal ducts 76 and 77 which are foiiiied in this flhe enlarged'ipartb lqf of the rotar eletorined withfducts 78, i 1

with theloiigittidinal'dtict 7'6; and also with i th threaded i diicts 80, 80 which communicate with the longitudinal duct 77. It will be understood, of course, that only one of each of the ducts 78, 78, is necessary to admit the air to the compression chambers between the driver blades 27 and 28, but to decrease the amount of resistance to the flow of the pressure agent through these connecting paths I have provided four apertures from the central longitudinal ducts 76 and 77 to each of the regions of intermittent compression between the driver blades.

The operation of the devices controlling the inlet and exhaust ports is as follows:

If it be assumed that the valves 7 and 14 and all of the ports and ducts are positioned as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the pressure agent, when admitted through 22, will flow through the duct 19, and through port 4, enter the valve chamber 7; it then passes through the portways 7, 7 which at this instant register with the annular groove 7, and flows through the duct 64 to the sleeve 43 it then enters duct 76 through the aperture 7 3. From duct 7 6 it flows through the apertures 78, 78, tothe spaces 28", each between a blade 27 and a blade 28. The pressure advances the driving element 43 onetwe-lfth of a revolution. During this move ment the air in front of the blades 28 is exhausted through the ducts 80, 80 and 77, apertures 72, 77 duct 63, portways 7 7, and exhaust port 91, to the atmosphere.

The partial rotation of the driving element 43 causes a tooth of the ratchet 12 to lift dog 13, and this in turn moves outward valve 14. 4 The latter moves to a point where the passage from port 17 toduct 65, and the sleeve 43* is opened, and an exhaust passage from duct 66 to the atmosphere port 93 is opened. During this time the registering apertures 72, 73 and 76, 77 move relatively to each other and the ducts 63 and 64 are closed. Then apertures 74 and 75 register with apertures '76 and 77 and, the working air now coming through duct passes through these apertures and the duct 76 to the working chamber, and the exhaust air passes out through ducts 77, 66, and from the latter through bushing portways 14 and 14, past valve 14 and through the port 93 to the atmosphere.

During this latter period of time the outer driving element 43 is advanced through another one-twelfth of a revolution, that is through the other half of a step. And this rotary movement carries the ratchet wheel 12 far enough to pass the crown part of a tooth under the lug 13 this crown holding the valve 14 in its outer position during the last described inlet and exhaust of air past it. The advance of the wheel 12 continues during this movement of air through duets 65 and 66 until the point of a wheel tooth passes under the point 13 of the dog; whereupon the pawl is instantly moved toward the axis, locks the wheel against retrogression, and permits the valve 14 to be moved far enough to reverse the connections of ports and ducts.

The air entering through the duct 17 now passes through the bushing ports 14 14 groove 14, duct 66, apertures 75, 77, and duct 77 into the working chamber. The exhaust passes out through duct 76, apertures 76 and 74, duct 65, ports 14, 14 and 14 and exhaust port 92. At the instant of commencement of reversal of the air, just described, the blades 27 had completed their forward step, and had, respectively, reached the blades 28 in front of them. The air is admitted into the chambers between each blade 27, and the blade 28 immediately in front thereof, the former being held as abutments by the dog 13 and ratchet 12, and the blades 28 commence their. cycle of revolution.

It will be seen that the valve 7 first controls the inlet and the outlet of an impulse of air, which causes one of the driving ele ments to move through the first half of a step, simultaneously causing a movement of the other valve 14, to where the latter can control an air impulse which moves the same element through the second half of a step or the second twelfth of a revolution. The second valve 14 controls the air which causes the second driving element to advance through the first half of a step of the second driving element.

During the first part of the step while blades 28 move forward and blades 27 are held stationary, the incoming and exhausting air continues to pass through the ducts 66 and 65 around the ports in the valve 14 and in the bushing 14. This continues until the driving element 10 has rotated to such a point that the registering apertures 77 and and 76 and 74 have moved out of alignment and the passage of air there" through is out off. Immediately afterward the apertures 72 and 7 and apertures 73 and 76 register with each other and the air is free to pass.

The valve 7 now becomes the controlling valve for the incoming and exhausting air, since the movement of the blades 28 causes the central driving element 10 to rotate and to actuate the valve 7 through the medium of the ratchet 9 and the dog 8. The operation of the valve 7 is identical with that of the valve 14. T have described above the latter part of thecycle of operation when the air is admitted through the port 4 and around the valve 7 into the duct 64 and through the several registering portways to the driving chamber. During the first part, however, of the cycle now being described, the valve 7 has been lifted by the dog 8 and the ratchet 9, and the incoming air passes from the port l around the valve 7 through the groove 7 and through the ports 7 7, and thence into the duct 63; then through the ports 7 2, 77* into the duct 77 and into the driving chamber through the ducts 80, 80, etc. The exhaust air passes through the ducts 78, 78, through the duct 76 and through the ports 76 and 73 to the duct 64:, then around the valve 7 through the bushing ports 7", 7 and the portway 7 to the atmosphere through the duct 90.

After the driving element 10 has rotated through a predetermined part of a cycle the dog 8 passes over a tooth of the ratchet wheel 9 and falls into a root space between that tooth and the next succeeding, and the valve is forced into the position shown in Figs. 3 and l. The positions'of the valves and the several portways and ducts are now the same as those described at the beginning of the first step. At the ends of the movements just described the second driving element, with its blades 28, terminates the second half of its forward step, and as remarked, the various parts are again in the positions shown in Figs. 8 and 6, and are ready for another pair of steps.

I claim:

1. A rotary engine, comprising a shaft with radial blades, aconcentric driving element with opposing blades, revoluble on the shaft and forming a chamber holding means associated with the shaft preventing retrograde movement of the radial blades while the driving element moves forwardly a predetermined distance, and valve mechanism actuated by said holding means when the element reaches the end of said distance for introducing a charge of motive fluid between the opposing blades then in contiguity.

2. A rotary engine, comprising a shaft with radial blades and a ratchet, a concentrio driving element defining a chamber, with opposing blades revolubly moving said element on the shaft through an incoming charge of fluid; a pawl engaging the ratchet holding the shaft and radial blades against retrogression, and valve mechanism associated with the driving element held open to admit the charge of fluid a predetermined time, including means then holding the driving element against retrogression while the shaft is moved forwardly.

3. A rotary engine, comprising a pair of alternately revoluble driving elements, each with blades in opposition, alternately acting as abutments and pistons; valve mechanism for introducing fluid between the blades when certain sets act as abutments and pistons respectively, at the same time enabling the exhaust of spent fluid in front of the advancing pistons; a second valve mechanism for introducing fluid between the advanced pistons and contiguous abutments, which latter then act as pistons, the former as abutments, and means associated with each valve mechanism for holding the blades of the then stationary driving element against retrogression.

4. The combination in a rotary engine, of a driving element with blades and a ratchet, a pawl engaging the ratchet to hold said element and blades against r-etrogression at predetermined times, and fluid valve mechanism associated with the pawl, including a ported valve member bearing thereon, to be shifted thereby through the ratchet when said blades move at other predetermined times.

5. The combination in a rotary engine, of a casing with fluid ports, a valve mechanism associated with each set of ports, a ported shaft with radial blades, a driving element rotatable on the shaft, having opposing blades, with certain ports continuously registering with the casing port and other intermittently registering with the shaft port; and means respectively carried by the shaft and driving element alternately holding the shaft and driving element against retrogression, and actuating the valve mechanisms to produce intermittent forward movement of the shaft and driving elements in alternation.

6. The combination in a rotary engine, of

a casing with fluid ports, a valve mechanism associated with each set of ports, a ported shaft with radial blades, a driving element rotatable on the shaft, having opposing blades, with certain ports continuously registering with the casing port and other intermittently registering with the shaft port; means respectively carried by the shaft and driving element alternately holding the shaft and driving element against retrogression, and actuating the valve mechanisms to produce intermittent forward movement of the shaft and driving element in alternation, and means associated with the shaft and driving element for transforming said intermittent movements into continuous rotational movement.

7 A rotary engine, including intermittently and alternately revoluble driving elements, each with teeth; a driven spindle, and gear segments mounted on a part thereof and meshing with the respective teeth, to be rocked on their mountings in alternately opposite directions and ultimately to transform the intermittent movements of both driving elements into continuous rotation of the spindle.

ROBERT WOBLEY RHODES. 

